Conn. senators blast GOP and tea party

Bill Cummings

Updated 11:58 pm, Friday, October 18, 2013

HARTFORD -- Connecticut's U.S senators on Friday blasted Republicans and the tea party for a "politically created shutdown" of the federal government and called on voters to punish the GOP in upcoming elections.

But they were also optimistic the pain caused by the just-concluded shutdown will prompt lawmakers from both sides to compromise and pass the federal budget.

"A great compromise is likely because of the pain all of us saw across the country," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn, said from the beginning of the two-week federal government shutdown, both parties had sufficient votes to end the crisis, but tea party members in the Republican-controlled House blocked a vote in an effort to defund Obamacare.

"There was never a question about whether we had enough votes," Murphy said. "It was a question as to whether (House Speaker) John Boehner would call for a vote. Now he has made it clear to the tea party they will not run the show and will not play the same games next time."

Blumenthal predicted Republicans will feel the wrath of voters during upcoming elections.

"The lessons learned from this crisis will be extracted at the ballot," Blumenthal said. "I hope the American people will use it. I believe in the electoral process as the ultimate discipline. The right wing accomplished nothing and did tremendous damage."

Jerry Labriola, the state GOP chairman, could not be reached for comment about the senators' comments Friday, but nine days into the shutdown told Hearst Connecticut Newspapers that government had only slowed down.

"At worst, it's been a slowdown, considering that much of the government is still being funded, such as Social Security, entitlements -- and even the furloughed workers will now be paid in full," Labriola said.

"Connecticut is shortchanged by being only represented by one party in Washington, and we are denied a voice in the Republican majority, which really could come in handy."

The shutdown ended Wednesday when Congress agreed to fund the government until January and raise the debt ceiling until February so bills could be paid. While further compromise over a budget is still needed, both senators predicted Republicans will not seek another shutdown.

"(Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell said another government shutdown is off the table. They have learned a lesson," Blumenthal said.

The cost of the shutdown and flirtation with failing to raise the national debt ceiling is pegged at $24 billion. Murphy pointed that's half of the money needed to repair and modernize rail lines between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Connecticut officials estimated $14.8 million in lost state salaries and benefits, and 1,000 jobs worth $54 million a year that would otherwise have been created were lost.

At least 1,000 Bridgeport students initially lost their Head Start program until the state wrote a $900,000 check to cover the cost.

Blumenthal said his has been assured state money allocated to Head Start will be reimbursed and that other avenues for reimbursement are also being aggressively sought.

"This was a totally unnecessary, totally avoidable and totally politically created shutdown. We must never allow the tea party to shut down our government again," Murphy said.